Central NJ Audiologists Develop Mask Guidelines For Hearing Aids

As the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold across the globe, mask wearing has become the norm among all professions and the public alike. This is an important recommended practice to help stop the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, but those who are hard of hearing may find it difficult to understand what others are saying, hampering an already-difficult communication process for millions with some degree of hearing loss.

To help raise awareness of this issue, the audiologists at central New Jersey-based The Hearing Center have developed tips for mask-wearing individuals to better communicate with those who are hard of hearing.

According to Eric Sandler, Sc.D., of The Hearing Center, navigating everyday conversation while wearing masks is a “new normal” that many may not even be aware is an issue, but through community education, Sandler and The Hearing Center can raise awareness and impart tips on how to navigate the new reality.

“These are strategies for the public to accommodate those who experience hearing loss in a world where people are wearing masks everywhere,” Sandler said. “One of our goals is to make the public aware that this is an issue and that there are steps you can take to help those who are struggling to understand everyday conversation.”

According to Sandler, lip reading is one of the main mechanisms hard of hearing individuals, and in fact all individuals, rely on to process speech. Blocking the mouth with a mask takes away an important communication tool.

“Those with hearing loss are much more dependent on visual cues while communicating, but in reality, everyone uses visual cues to fully understand a conversation,” Sandler said. “Our brains ‘see’ sound based on lip movement. Those cues are cut off visually when a mask is over your face, making it even more difficult to understand everyday conversation.”

While some have created prototypes for masks with clear windows – and The Hearing Center staff is working on a model of its own -- Sandler said that the method is not perfected, and these experimental models may even inadvertently cause other issues that impede communication.

“The clear window fogs up with your breath, which defeats the purpose of see-through panels, especially because masks shouldn’t be taken off, wiped, and put back on,” Sandler said. “That issue has yet to be resolved, and in the meantime, mask-wearing individuals still need to communicate with those who are hard of hearing.”

Until such a model is perfected and is widely available, Sandler recommends getting the attention of the person being spoken to before starting a conversation.

“Don’t talk to the computer screen – face the person and speak directly to the individual in front of you, whether you work in a grocery store, a doctor’s office, or anywhere else,” Sandler said. “If you don’t get their attention, they may not realize they’re being spoken to at all.”

Sandler also recommends using talk to text apps, which is particularly important in medical settings where patients may not have a caregiver or family member to help them decipher key information.

“Due to COVID-19, many doctor’s offices, urgent care, emergency room, and hospital room settings are restricting visitors, which may mean that a hard-of-hearing individual cannot properly advocate for themselves,” Sandler said. “A talk to type tool ensures that a patient hears every word you’re saying, so they can make the proper decisions about their health.”

Additionally, Sandler cautioned that those who wear behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid models should exercise caution when removing a mask, as the loops can knock off a hearing aid and get lost or break.

“Now that wearing a mask is an everyday occurrence, hearing aid wearers should be aware that their hearing aids can get knocked off,” Sandler said.

The Hearing Center’s four New Jersey offices in Highland Park, Clark, Manalapan, and Somerset closed in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The audiology center has begun seeing patients once again, with updated policies and important COVID-19-related safeguards.

The Hearing Center is an advanced full-service audiology practice for children and adults. The state-of-the-art facilities are the first in New Jersey to offer all audiological services outside a hospital setting. Eric Sandler, Sc.D., is a sought-after speaker who delivers seminars at conferences around the U.S. The practice, which has eight audiologists on staff, has been serving patients for more than 30 years. For more information, visit www.thcaudiology.com.